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Boeing hitches Android to its 787 Dreamliner ride, powers in-flight options with Google juice
Looks like Boeing's decided to get in bed with Android a mile-high in the sky. The aerospace company has exclusively selected Google's mobile OS as the might behind its new class of 787 Dreamliners' in-flight entertainment. Currently in production jets, of which there are over 800 plus orders, will get outfitted with either a Panasonic or Thales model of the 7- to 17-inch screens. And in a strange twist of luxury privileges, first and business class passengers won't get to enjoy the touchscreen tech, as their monitors will be too large and too far out of reach. Instead, an alternate gesture-based control method is being explored by the company for elite travelers, although nothing's been solidified. Don't expect the planes to launch with the typical Android market experience, either -- apparently, "airline-specific apps" are on the way for the nascent fleets' launch. Now, if only they could replace those flight attendants with little green robots.
Boeing presents first Dreamliner 787 to ANA, flights start in September
After years of delays, hacker vulnerabilities, and technical hiccups, Boeing is finally reaching the finish line -- the 787 Dreamliner is ready. The first of the firm's fantasy flyers was presented to executives of All Nippon Airways this week, scoring ANA a dreamy new jet that promises to increase fuel efficiency by 20 percent when compared to similarly sized birds. The 787 owes its fuel savings (and selling point) to a primary structure comprised of 50 percent composite materials by weight; the much larger A380 sits pretty at 25 percent composite, for comparison's sake. Despite the official presentation, the inaugural Dreamliner is still just shy of actual delivery, requiring a few more test flights before beginning domestic service (in Japan) this September.
RIFT's first State of the Game address floods players with news of the future [Updated]
Trion Worlds has never been shy in talking about RIFT's upcoming content, especially considering how fast and furious said content's been flying down the pipe. However, the studio may have topped itself today as it gave its first State of the Game address, opening up about the title's history to date and both the near and far future of the team's plans. It's difficult to try to summarize all of this news in a brief paragraph -- so we're not even going to try! Instead, Massively joined a number of other news outlets for a conference call with the RIFT team and Scott Hartsman to clarify all of the exciting content, fixes and features mentioned in this address. So join us after the jump as we look at quality-of-life improvements, new types of rifts, vastly improved PvP experiences, solo dungeons, and something intriguing called "Instant Adventure."
TUAW's Daily iPad App - Warplanes: A History of Aerial Combat
Gameloft recently released a new iPad book-app, Warplanes: A History of Aerial Combat (US$6.99). This app is follow-up to Gameloft's earlier book-app, War in the Pacific. This latest offering includes detailed information on 43 historic war planes including popular bombers like the B-52, fighters like the F-15 and reconnaissance airplanes like the SR-71 Blackbird. You can view a 3D model of the plane, browse vintage photographs, read detailed specs and even watch a video of the plane in action (though not all planes have a video). The app opens to a home screen with clickable images of all the planes and is organized as reference guide, not a chapter book that you read. The content is organized nicely and there is a lot of information for users to comb through, especially if you are new to military aviation. Besides background information, there is an interactive cutaway diagram of each plane and a rotatable 3-D model. The 3D model is a bit disappointing as you can only move it left and right. You cannot spin it to see the top and bottom of the plane. %Gallery-128298% The photo gallery for each plane is also inconsistent. When you click on gallery, sometimes you get a nice slideshow of pictures for each plane. Other times, you open a grid of images for all the planes, not just the one that you are viewing. The latter is a tease as you see fifteen thumbnails on the screen, but only two or three are for your selected plane. Overall, the app is geared towards the beginning aviation buff or the more experienced aviator who wants a quick reference guide. It's not for the seasoned aviation veteran looking for a lot of stellar pictures and heart-pounding video of the planes in action. This media-rich content which would look great on the iPad is lacking. I would love to see more images and, especially more videos of the planes in various aerial maneuvers. More planes would also be a welcome addition as 43 entries only scratch the surface of historic military planes. It is also worthy to note that the book-app is heavily weighted towards US planes and jets. There's a rich history of early World War I and World War II propeller planes that's missing.
Gaijin announces World of Planes MMO
Is the World War II aviation-based MMO market big enough to support multiple titles? We'll soon find out, as Gaijin Entertainment has just announced its upcoming World of Planes MMO (not to be confused with Wargaming.net's World of Warplanes title, which took a bow earlier this month). Gaijin's press release calls World of Planes a "flying simulation game," and the company will be drawing on its previous genre experience thanks to titles like Wings of Prey and Wings of Luftwaffe. According to the new World of Planes website, the game will feature "hundreds of historically accurate planes" and "flying skills that can be honed and improved with each mission." The site also hints at ground- and sea-based combat along with co-op missions, solo play, and a realistic damage model. The game will operate under a free-to-play business model, and you'll want to check out our screenshot gallery below before heading to the official World of Planes website to sign up for beta. %Gallery-126603%
RSA SecureID hackers may have accessed Lockheed Martin trade secrets, cafeteria menus (update: no data compromised)
RSA SecureID dongles add a layer of protection to everything from office pilates class schedules to corporate email accounts, with banks, tech companies, and even U.S. defense contractors using hardware security tokens to protect their networks. Following a breach at RSA in March, however, the company urged clients to boost other security methods, such as passwords and PIN codes, theoretically protecting networks from hackers that may have gained the ability to duplicate those critical SecureIDs. Now, Lockheed Martin is claiming that its network has come under attack, prompting RSA to issue 90,000 replacement tokens to Lockheed employees. The DoD contractor isn't detailing what data hackers may have accessed, but a SecureID bypass should clearly be taken very seriously, especially when that little keychain dongle is helping to protect our national security. If last month's Sony breach didn't already convince you to beef up your own computer security, now might be a good time to swap in 'Pa55werD1' for the rather pathetic 'password' you've been using to protect your own company's trade secrets for the last decade. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: According to Reuters, Lockheed Martin sent out a statement to clarify that it promptly took action to thwart the attack one week ago, and consequently "no customer, program or employee personal data has been compromised." Phew! [Thanks, JD]
JetBlue to bring Ka-band high-speed internet to the friendly skies by 2012
Despite Boeing's early efforts to make satellite service the go-to option for in-flight internet, the rather costly connection solution never really took off. It seems, satellite connectivity is about to experience something of a resurgence -- just last month Gogo announced its plans to blanket the globe with Ka-band coverage by 2015, and now JetBlue's announcing that it will be the first to deliver an on-board Ka-band network. In an agreement with ViaSat, the airline intends to bring the service to its more than 170 aircraft, beginning installation in 2012. The new broadband option will reportedly offer higher transmission speeds and more bandwidth per passenger for less money than other in-flight internet alternatives. With Lufthansa's new FlyNet service also sporting satellite-enabled WiFi, it would seem things are looking up for the future of the once doomed broadband solution.
Panasonic gives its in-flight entertainment system an Android makeover, adds 3D displays
Panasonic has been kicking around the idea of a tricked-out Android-based in-flight entertainment system for awhile, and now it's ready for airlines to start retrofitting their livery. The system, dubbed eX3, runs Android, relieving restless fliers with news, live television, games, and what the company calls on-board social networking, but that's mostly a nod to the Facebook app. Other amenities include broadband internet access and GSM service, touchscreen controllers, capacative screens, proximity sensors, and, in some cases, 3D displays. Not going to front -- we're stoked on the idea of tuning out on-board babies via multi-hour Angry Birds sessions, but we're seriously hoping the airlines ignore one of the system's marquee features: in-flight video conferencing. %Gallery-120630%
Boeing's biggest jet takes flight, promises lowest 'seat mile' cost of any commercial airliner
Boeing took a huge -- both literally and figuratively -- step in the development of the largest commercial jet in its history when the 747-8 took to the skies for the first time. Granted, the airframe's cargo version has already logged over 1,600 hours up in the air, but putting the 250-foot passenger plane with a 224-foot wingspan -- 19 feet longer and 13 feet wider than the gargantuan 747-400 -- through its first few paces without incident is no small feat. The 747-8 borrows some of the 787 Dreamliner's weight-trimming tech for better fuel efficiency and lower operational costs than older 747s and jumbo jet competition from Airbus. We just hope it didn't inherit the 787's penchant for delays as well. If all goes according to plan, the new jetliner should complete the 600 test flight hours needed for FAA certification in time to deliver the first 747-8s to customers by the end of the year. We doubt airlines will use the plane's extra space to give us shlubs riding coach any more legroom, but at least its improved all-around efficiency should make flying a little cheaper. PR's after the break.
Seven airlines now offering free in-flight Facebook
Free and fast in-flight WiFi may be an unrealizable dream, but free in-flight Facebook? Wish no more. As of today, seven airlines are running a promotion with Gogo internet to bring your in air Facebook dreams to life. The airlines include Delta, AirTran, American, Virgin Atlantic, Alaska, US Airways, and United, who with Gogo now offer internet on 1,100 commercial and 5,000 private planes. It's unclear how long the promotion will last -- nothing good lasts forever -- but get in there while you can and do a few status updates, maybe check out your friends' awesome Groundhog Day 2011 links.
Fight in the Planar Wars with RIFT's sixth closed beta event
In what might prove to be a very open move, Trion Worlds has been giving players the chance to test out its upcoming fantasy MMO RIFT. There have been five beta events for the game so far, each of which has run for several days and given players access to new areas, classes and game mechanics. The fifth beta event lasted just four days, but in that time over 2.4 million man-hours of play time were logged. With each event drawing in more players than the last, Trion is gearing up for its sixth event. The Planar Wars event begins at 10:00 a.m. PST on February 4th and will run until the same time on February 7th. In this new RIFT beta event, dangerous planar rifts will open up across the land and the elemental planes will spill forth into Telara. Players will have to work together to seal the planar rifts and collect planar loot. As an added incentive for players to work together, anyone who completes an objective set by Trion will be entered into a prize draw to win one of 10 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 graphics cards. Head over to the official beta signup page for a chance to get into this event and any future events, or pre-order RIFT to get into the beta immediately.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner delayed again, expectations still sky high
That's right, the 787 Dreamliner, which has airlines all aflutter over promises of increased fuel efficiency, has been delayed yet again. Boeing announced yesterday that customers can expect to see the plane in the third quarter of 2011: one in a long line of setbacks that have put it three years behind schedule. However, despite delays, it seems customer confidence hasn't waned. In fact, the New York Times reported that 787 buyers still find a summer release perfectly practical, leading to a three percent rise in Boeing stock. Trouble for the 787 started back in 2008, with the FAA warning of hacker vulnerability, followed by a 2009 discovery of structural weakness, and an on-board fire last November. Even with delays, and cancellation of at least 60 orders, the 787 still has about 850 pre-orders: more than any other mid-size commercial liner in history. So what's keeping the 787 Dreamliner afloat? Well, mostly promises of a 20 percent increase in fuel efficiency, thanks to a design that's 50 percent composite materials. Clearly, testing the 787 hasn't been a dream, but it seems nothing can keep this plane grounded for good.
Striker integrated display helmet has something to tell you about that old saying 'if looks could kill'...
We've been told in the past that our mean, hate-filled looks could kill, but we never took that literally. Now, if Britain's BAE Systems has its way, that phrase could seriously have a whole new meaning. The company has developed an RAF helmet that will allow pilots to deploy and steer their weapons by turning their heads. It all sounds incredibly horrifying and futuristic, of course, but the technology which enables the new gadget is pretty intense, as well. The helmet is fitted with an optical head tracker, with targets popping up in the visor, which provides a supposedly highly accurate missile fire with low latency, at any altitude. The system has been extensively tested on the Eurofighter Typhoon, but is modular in styling so that it can be fitted to many systems. There's no word on when this tech will see actual action, but we have our reservations about it, so we hope they take their time.
Trion Worlds reveals RIFT's Plane of Earth
Trion Worlds is busily prepping its RIFT beta client for another onslaught of tire-kick... er, testers in a few days. Luckily for us, the development studio is still finding the time to release juicy bits of info related to the game's titular rift mechanics. We've already seen reveals covering the Planes of Air and Water, and today we're treated to a look at the Plane of earth. The Plane of Earth, as the name suggests, is all about the ground. Whether that ground is desert sand, crystalline stone, or gravity-defying rock formations, there's plenty to look at in our gallery below, as well as plenty to read about in the lore-centric text after the cut. %Gallery-99479%
NASA budgets $15 million for hypersonic flight
You're probably familiar with supersonic planes like the SR-71 Blackbird pictured above, which managed to fly at over three times the speed of sound, but imagine this: NASA set aside $15 million to develop a hypersonic plane that could exit our atmosphere at speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 20. The US space agency's not expecting to build it quite that cheaply, of course, and it's not holding out hope for a contractor to build the entire plane just yet -- the organization intends to fund some sixteen smaller science and engineering projects (ranging from "how to build a Mach 8+ engine" to "predicting hypersonic fluid dynamics") and letting would-be government contractors pick and choose. Know how to quantify baseline turbulent aeroheating uncertainty in a hypersonic environment? You've got until November 23rd to get your proposal in. Update: As some have pointed out in comments, hypersonic flight isn't unprecedented -- NASA spent eighteen years developing and testing the X-15 space plane starting in 1951, which reached Mach 6.7 using a rocket engine. [Thanks, Gadi]
Massively's hands-on with Rift: Planes of Telara's dynamic content
Just a few weeks ago, I was invited to attend Trion Worlds' Gamer's Day in San Francisco to get some hands-on time with a couple of the company's upcoming titles, including Rift: Planes of Telara. If Rift seems to have come out of nowhere, that might be due both to the acquisition of EverQuest II veteran Scott Hartsman to head the project as executive producer, and to a clever name change meant to reflect the team's shift in development focus. In fact, that shift in development focus is precisely what I was at Trion's studio to test -- I got to check out the Rifts themselves in all their glory, in the context of the greater dynamic content system that the developers are so excited about. Massively's writers have been able to play and report on character creation and the starting areas of Rift several times over the last year or so, including earlier this summer at E3. But until today's embargo lift (coinciding with the reveal at Gamescom), no one had quite seen the fabled planar invasions and takeovers in action. Now we have.
HAWX 2 features 'all aspects' of air combat, four-player campaign co-op
Ubisoft has revealed new information about Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2, which Joystiq got to see in an early build last week at a pre-E3 event. The sequel to the flight combat simulator is expanding its purview to include "all aspects of aerial combat," including takeoffs and landings, recon missions in UAVs, air-to-air refueling and dogfighting missions, and even laser-guiding bombs down to targets. The game will use satellite imagery to create realistic locations from all over the world, including Moscow, the Arctic Circle and a desert area we got to see in the Persian Gulf. Ubisoft also told Joystiq that the game would offer four-player co-op throughout the whole campaign, as well as "full adversarial multiplayer" with up to eight players involved. It was also hinted that H.A.W.X. 2 will tie in some of Ubisoft's other Tom Clancy properties, though we weren't yet told how. We'll learn more when we get to play the game (which is due out on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PC this fall) in a hands-on at E3. %Gallery-92365%
Inhabitat's Week in Green: LED lights, biofuel airplanes, and prescription tattoos
The Week in Green is a new item from our friends at Inhabitat, recapping the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us. This week Inhabitat saw the light as we showcased an array of exciting developments in energy-efficient illumination. First off, Philips dazzled attendees at this year's Lightfair expo as they unveiled the EnduraLED -- the world's first LED replacement for those ubiquitous energy-sucking 60 watt incandescent bulbs. We were also excited to see the unveiling of the SolPix - a giant energy generating LED wall that doubles as solar shade and can be installed as high-tech building cladding. And if you think energy-efficient lighting isn't easy on the eyes, check out this beautiful LED flower that soaks up sun during the day and blooms at night. We also looked at several incredible (and insane) futuristic modes of transportation - for starters, how about an electric zip-line backpack that shoots you through city streets? We were also impressed by the Cell, a shape-shifting electric vehicle concept that comes complete with its own car-sharing transit system. And if soaring through the skies is more your style, check out these self-sufficient airships that harness solar energy to generate biofuel. Wearable tech saw several developments as well - this week we looked at the ultra-efficient 3d printers that created Iron Man's suit of armor. In other news, your next trip to the doctor could merit more than a single shot in the arm - researchers are developing a new type of "prescription" tattoo that keeps tabs on glucose levels using infra-red ink. Finally, we saw several remarkable inventions that stand to change how we combat climate change and construct our built environment. This week Bill Gates unveiled plans to invest in the development of a fleet of seawater-spraying mist machines that could combat climate change by creating sunlight-reflecting clouds, and we looked at a new type of biologically crafted brick that can be "grown" from a combination of sand, bacteria, and urine.
US Airways finally secures Gogo in-flight WiFi, adding to all A321's by June
We heard last summer that 2010 would be the year for US Airways to gain in-flight internet, and sure enough, America's worst legacy airline has made good on said promise. As of now, a grand total of five Airbus A321 planes are equipped with Gogo, and if you're lucky enough to end up on one, you'll get a single free session through June 1st provided that you're a first-time Gogo user. Speaking of early June, that's when all 51 of the outfit's A321's will be lit with WiFi, and better still, you'll be able to see right away if your flight will be wired (or unwired, as it were) at the time of booking. There's no mention of expansion plans beyond that, and we still haven't received an apology for refusing us a gratis glass of water on a 6.5 hour flight in August of 2008. No, we're not bitter. At all.
Misplaced wings no sweat for DARPA's new aircraft control system
One of the problems -- outside of the obvious -- with a significantly damaged aircraft is that pilots often overreact and add to the situation. In other words, when a plane gets nailed by something like a missile, the person at the wheel panics. DARPA and Athena's Damage Tolerance and Autonomous Landing Solution adds a full flight automation and backup system that uses a plane's internal inertial navigation system and GPS systems to land safely by automatically adjusting to the new configuration -- a physics computation that a human is in no condition to deal with during such a crisis. In a recent unmanned flight test, Rockwell Collins showed off the tech with a scaled-model F-18 in which nearly half a wing is blown off and then landing the plane safely. Hit the read link to watch the strangely calming video.[Thanks, jr]
